Thomas Keith Bjorklund

Thomas Keith Bjorklund passed away on July 2, 2025, at the age of 87 in Davis, CA. Born in Albion, NE, in 1938 to Helen Kunze and Thomas O. Bjorklund, the family moved to Phoenix, AZ, where he spent his childhood. "Tommy" had fond memories of returning frequently to visit his mother's family home and his many cousins in Nebraska.

Tom was a sharp student, and in high school, his math and science skills caught the attention of a Caltech admissions counselor who encouraged him to enroll. Tom loved Caltech, where he was energized by the challenging academics, but played football as a tackle and blocking back. In later years, Tom liked to brag that he played in the “Rose Bowl”, which is true because the Rose Bowl was Caltech Football’s home field.

With a Bachelor’s of Science in Geology from Caltech and then a Master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin, he was hired by Chevron in Denver, CO to work in oil and gas exploration. In Denver, Tom met and fell in love with Meredith Schlater, an equally sharp recent graduate from Northwestern University, and they married in 1965. His career took them to the oil fields of Vernal, Utah, and then to Los Angeles. They started a family in Ventura with a daughter, Kristin, born in 1967, and a son, Eric, in 1968. They lived the quintessential Southern California lifestyle, visiting the beach, bowling, and playing cards with friends, until earthquakes and a job change sent them packing to New Orleans, LA, and shortly thereafter, Houston, TX. Tom passed along his love of sports to his kids, who kept busy with swimming, baseball, and softball.

In 1978, a new job with Amoco Production Company took the Bjorklund family back to Denver, CO. They all enjoyed the many outdoor activities that Colorado offered. Kris and Eric cherish the times with their father—skiing, fishing, camping, and going on long hikes in the Rocky Mountains. Once the nest was empty, Tom seized an opportunity to transfer to Amoco’s international division. He and Meredith started a new life as ex-pats in Trinidad & Tobago, where they had the unique experience of being evacuated by helicopter to an offshore oil barge during an attempted political coup. Tom’s work soon called him away to Pakistan and China, but Meredith had developed a newfound love for the Trinidad lifestyle. After an amicable divorce, Meridith and Tom went on to pursue their own goals.

Tom’s international lifestyle introduced him to the “Hash House Harriers,” a social running club. He became a diehard member with the nickname "Bleeder." He returned to the States, and when he retired from Amoco in 1994, his love for academics called him back to school to earn a PhD from the University of Houston. Tom always looked forward to the Caltech reunion every year, but in 1995, it was particularly memorable because he also met Rosaria Bulgarella (Rosanne), who would become his partner for the rest of his life.

After earning his PhD in 2002, he took a position advising graduate students at the University of Houston while also working as a consultant to oil exploration companies. Roseanne made sure Tom occasionally took time away from his work, and they enjoyed travelling together -- from cruises to Alaska and the Mediterranean, visiting grandchildren, a Caltech alumni rafting trip, and visiting her family in Italy. It was during this time that Tom, an only child, found great joy to learn that he had a half-brother, Clayton Chase, who further deepened his ties to his Nebraska family.

Rosanne, his children, and grandchildren had a special place in his heart, but Tom’s north star was always scientific advancement, which nourished his soul and gave him purpose. He continued working and researching well into his 80's when a neurodegenerative disease diagnosis sent him to Davis, CA, where he could be close to his daughter and her committed caregiving.

He is survived by his partner Rosaria Bulgarella, his children Kris [Sandy] Borowsky and Eric [Jenny McClintock] Bjorklund, and his grandchildren Hayley, Skylar, Alex, Nick, Katie, Imogen, Asher, and Calvin.

He will be laid to rest next to his mother in Palmer, Nebraska. Please join us for a Funeral Service at 10:30 A.M. on August 9th, 2025, at the Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in Palmer. Family will greet friends 1 hour prior to services.  Interment will be held in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Palmer.  A luncheon will follow.